The Kings of New Orleans
by laurachavez2002
Summary: When Elijah calls up an old family friend to come help him aide Klaus, she digs deeper into the family issues and ends up getting more than she asks for...along with a new compassion for the Fighting King of New Orleans and King of New Orleans. OC/ Elijah OC/Klaus OC/ Marcel
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals.

Chapter One: Kings

I followed Rebekah down the hallway in which Elijah and Niklaus were in. Elijah was kissing on a girl and Niklaus was drinking from two. He disgusted me while Elijah made me jealous. Even though I'd been living with the Mikelson's for a month now, I still couldn't shake my love for Elijah and hate for Niklaus.

I cleared my throat and they both looked up. Their attention went to Rebekah's companion…the governor's son. I thought it was a bad idea but she convinced herself he was the one. Elijah glanced at me but then returned his gaze back to the son.

"Please, Elijah, let me turn him." Rebekah said. In a whisper she said, "I love him"

Niklaus laughed at that and everyone looked at him, including me. The man didn't look scared or surprised. I swallowed nervously, not liking the way this was going. My dress was getting more uncomfortable by the second so I shifted my stance.

"Rebekah, if we let you turn everyone you dropped your nickers for, we'd have nothing left to eat." Niklaus said. The man stepped forward.

"That is no way to treat a lady." He said angrily. Niklaus raised an eyebrow and suddenly grabbed him by the throat. He dragged him closer to the balcony.

"Niklaus!" Elijah boomed by he didn't seize. Niklaus instantly threw the man over the balcony as Rebekah let out a shrill shriek. Elijah was holding onto her as she wept over her lifeless lover. I watched with inclusive eyes. I was breathing profoundly. I'd seen Niklaus kill many people but not as ghastly as this. Rebekah had loved this man.

Elijah let go of Rebekah and she ran off. I'd finally reclaimed my voice.

"How could you do that to her?" I said in a soft tone. Elijah turned around and looked at me. Niklaus looked at me too.

"She loves everyone she lays eyes on, Clarice. She'll get over it." Niklaus said brushing off his hands. He refunded to the post in his couch.

"At least she knows how to love and what love is." I pointed out and he frowned. He slowly rose from the chair. His eyes were stone but Elijah wasn't moving from his spot. I knew at this moment I was going to die.

"And you know what love is?" he said in a cold voice. I narrowed my eyes and got closer to his face.

"I know what love is because I am."

Niklaus threw his head back in laughter. He stumbled back slightly. He looked back down at me with a smirk.

"With whom?" he asked looking at me closely. I puffed out my chest, swallowed and let out a breath.

"Elijah." I answered and it seemed like the world went silent. Niklaus was surprised. I could tell by his wide eyes and clear expression. I didn't dare look at the other brother, afraid I might not get the reaction that I wanted.

I turned away from the brothers and continued to walk down the hallway. I turned the corner and stopped. I fell against the wall, listening for any exchange of words.

"Brother?" Niklaus asked in a keen voice.

"Not know, Niklaus." Elijah said and I heard his feet walk far, far away.

That was almost 200 years ago. I hadn't gone back to the family. I was too afraid of the consequences or feelings. I went to Europe to live on the rest of my eternal life but 200 years later, I got a phone call from someone I never thought I'd here again. Elijah called to tell me that he needed my help in New Orleans. I was shell shocked at first but when he mentioned that I was the only person that could calm down Niklaus, I was bound to help. I didn't want Niklaus hurting Rebekah or Elijah.

Now, here I was, standing in the foyer of the ghastly house I'd lived in for the first month of my vampire life. I was looking around even though I'd seen it a million times. I was waiting to be greeted by Rebekah or Elijah. I knew Niklaus wouldn't greet me. I'd told him I loved Elijah and he seemed…sad. I had thought about it over the years. I thought maybe Niklaus had loved me but had been so blind to even see it.

There were footsteps on the stairs and I hustled my attention to the feet. What I saw before my eyes was something I'd loved since the day I'd seen him. He was wearing a nicely ironed suit, shiny black shoes and his hair was at its finest. It took my breath away like it always did. I left but I never stopped loving him.

"Thank you for coming, Clarice." Elijah said. His voice was straight and graceful. I nodded.

"I felt like I was destined to coming if it was for relaxing Niklaus." I said and Elijah made it to the bottom of the stairs. He put a hand on the balustrade and crossed his feet. His stance was flawless. I felt disordered.

"My brother has taken an interest in New Orleans." Elijah said.

"Hasn't he always? He nearly built the city himself."

"He has taken a superior interest in the city when he heard he wasn't clearly king." Elijah added. This caught my attention. I traversed my arms and looked at Elijah.

"Who is king?" I asked.

"Marcellus." Elijah answered. I wrinkled my brow. Elijah uncrossed his feet and lifted his arm down from the banister. "Klaus saw himself in this little boy. He acquired him as a son and then left him."

"Niklaus took in a child?" I asked in a shocked tone. Elijah didn't nod and make a face. I looked away from him.

"I do need to mention that he is also going to be a father." Elijah suddenly said and I looked back at him with wide eyes. "The mother of his child is upstairs."

"What? What is her name? How is that even likely?" I asked turning away from Elijah. I pushed my bangs back.

"Her name is Hailey. She is a werewolf and because Klaus is part vampire part werewolf he was able to produce a child." Elijah explained answering all my questions at once. I turned back around. I was all over the place. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes.

"I am presuming his has no carefulness for the baby." I said in low-slung voice. Elijah didn't answer which meant yes. Elijah probably cared more about the baby than the mother herself. I felt immoral for Hailey.

"That is why you are here, Clarice. You are going to help Klaus amendment his mind about this child." Elijah said walking towards me. I shook my head, dropping my hand.

"He isn't going to attend to me." I said in a concerned tone.

"You have to try. Besides Marcellus, you're the only one he will hang on too."

I looked at him for a long while, taking in my preference.

"Okay, I will aid you with Niklaus." I said. Elijah nodded slightly. The doors of the house opened for a second time. I shot back as soon as I saw the face of the monster everyone terrors. Niklaus. He saw me and froze. He was visibly not guessing me to be standing in his foyer. I swallowed. My back was pressed against the banister of the stairs. Elijah had stepped forward considerably, fearing my nonexistence of survival gamble in the second.

"What is she doing here?" Klaus asked. He had started scowling and his mood seemed to dim.

"That is no way to treat a guest, Niklaus." Elijah said in a calm and steady voice.

"She is no guest. She is the girl we worried about for over a century." Klaus said argued heatedly. This caught me by surprise. They worried about me when I left?

"She left because she'd done something she was afraid of." Elijah argued back but in the same voice. Klaus chuckled but not with amusement.

"She was afraid of confessing her love to you brother. I do not see how that is a fear." Klaus said and the room went silent. My body tensed while Elijah only seemed frustrated. Klaus looked at me with dark eyes. "You've been awfully quiet."

"I do not want to step into another argument between you and your brother. Last time I did, I ended up with a stake in my left shoulder." I spat and Klaus's eyes narrowed.

"As you should've because this disagreement is very much diverse. This is about you." Klaus said his last words in a growl. I had nowhere to step back into. My head was scrapping against the wood banister.

"Then talk to me about this, not Elijah." I said bravely. He smirked.

"Very well." He said and turned away. He stopped in the middle of the foyer. His hands crossed in front of him and he spun around on his heel. "Leave us be, Elijah"

Elijah hesitated, listening to the voices on his shoulder. Slowly, he turned and went up the stairs. We were alone and I was scared out of my mind.

"It doesn't always have to be this way, Niklaus." I said. I wasn't going to use his nickname for I wasn't used to it.

"Why? You make it this way." He said and I shook my head, stepping forward.

"I do not make it this way. You do because you never even had parents that loved you like your family did. You were so oblivious to love that you couldn't see it when it was standing right in front of you." I said without stopping. He swallowed.

"I was never oblivious to love. I could see it crystal clear." He said in a low voice. "You were standing right in front of me."

Sure I'd known for years that he'd been in love with me but I'd never been absolutely correct. Now, I knew what was true.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" I asked in a frustrated tone. It would've changed everything but I'm sure he hadn't wanted it to.

"I saw the way you looked at my brother and I knew there wasn't a way to make you fall out of love with him. I gave up in ever thinking of trying." Klaus answered.

"I looked at your brother that way because he let me look at him like that." I explained. "He didn't drink from girls in front of me or act like a total jackass."

"I told you. I gave up on you so I tried to drown the pain in blood." He said and I put my hand up, stopping him before he could say anything else.

"You should've never given up because things could've changed, Niklaus. I might've loved you. Maybe I did." I said. I then turned and went up the stairs.

I found myself an empty room and settled in. I didn't see Niklaus for the rest of the night. Elijah said he usually went out during times like this. I talked to Elijah about my time in Europe but not once did either of us bring up the party here in this house. There were times where the house would become silent and we'd look away from each other. I was sure he'd been listening to the conversation downstairs.

As the night started to come to an end, Hailey had already gone to sleep. I was sitting downstairs in the living room, staring at the fire I had lit. I never thought I'd be back here. I had a drink in my hand. I swirled it around thinking. I hummed to myself, the noise sounding loud because of the dead silent house. I waited the moments when Klaus would open the doors to the house. I also dreaded them. It was getting later and later by the second. I only drank small sips from the broken bottle of bourbon I held in my hand.

I thought of a song my mother had sung to me before bed. I had never forgotten the words and I sang it to myself every now and then. I felt like I needed it now more than ever.

"My dear baby lay yourself to sleep. In the morning, the sunlight starts to creep. I smile down at my darling dear baby laying yourself to sleep." I sang it in a hushed tone with my eyes closed. I had put down the bottle and I could hear my mother's voice in my head. I heard footsteps and my eyes snapped open. I shot up from the chair and looked behind me. Klaus was standing there, his eyes red with lack of sleep and possibly alcohol. I swallowed in fear and embarrassment.

"That was very lovely." Klaus said with a smile. I didn't return him the smile. I averted my eyes from his.

"Thank you." I said my voice sound gruff. I played with the cuffs on my shirt. He started walking towards me.

"Did your mother sing that to you?" he asked. I nodded.

"Uh, yeah, she did." I answered.

"She was a very bright woman I presume, unlike my mother." Niklaus said. I didn't know how to respond to that. The topic of his parents was touchy and I didn't like to go there.

"About what I said earlier…" I trailed off and he shook his head.

"Its fine but I need to know one thing."

No, no, no!

"Do you love me?" he asked and I almost cringed. I swallowed. I didn't know the answer to his question myself. I blinked a few times but he never looked away from me.

"Niklaus, I-

"I understand." Klaus said. He turned away. "Goodnight Clarice."

"Niklaus please let me answer." I said reaching out my hand and stumbling forward. He stopped, turned his head considerably.

"Go ahead."

"I-I don't know." I answered. He nodded and without another word, he'd vanished upstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals

Chapter Two: Dirty Work

The next morning was quiet and lonely. I lied in bed for an hour, debating wither I should actually get out of bed or not. When I finally made my decision, I rolled over and climbed out quickly. I changed my clothes and opened the door to my room.

Elijah was surprised. His hand was up to knock on my door but I'd gotten there before him.

"Hi." I said in a confused tone. He cleared his throat, adjusted his jacket and nodded.

"I was just coming to see if you were with us or not." Elijah explained. I held onto my door. I bobbed my eyebrows.

"I'm still here." I said and walked around him. Normally I wasn't so rude to him but my standards were low after my conversation with Niklaus last night. I was angry at myself, him and my feelings. I wanted to love him but I loved Elijah. This wasn't what I was here for. I was here to deal with Marcellus. He was dooming the people I loved and he was defienently going to pay.

I went to the downstairs of the house and was about to open the door to the house, when yet another person got in the way. I ran my tongue over my teeth annoyed. I let out a sigh.

"Get out of my way, Niklaus." I said reaching around him but he grabbed my wrist. He cocked his head to the side and I narrowed my eyes.

"Where are you going, love?" he asked in his original attitude. I pulled my wrist out of his grip.

"Out. Now, get the hell outta my way." I spat. He stood there for a moment, glaring at me but slowly moved out of the way. I didn't want to talk to him or Elijah. I walked out to my car and climbed in. I had an idea of where this Marcellus would be and that was the house in which was the milestone of the French Quarter. That place was fit for a king.

I sped out of the Mikelson dirt driveway and made my way to the house.

When I got there, there was already a party going on in the inside. I slammed the door of my car and suddenly the party silenced. I smirked to myself. I pushed open the doors of the house and he was like a sunflower in a field of daises. He was the best looking I will not lie out of everyone in the room. Still I had to ask,

"You must be Marcellus?" I asked putting a hand on my hip. Almost pleased to see me, he smiled.

"So you're the Clarice they've talked about." He said and I smiled now.

"The one and only."

I was acting cocky for plenty of reasons. One of the main reasons was because I could. He walked across the balcony and down the stairs. People stepped out of the way as he walked. This man had power over everyone. They were probably all sired to him. He stopped in front of me. He was absolutely gorgeous. He just seemed almost as perfect as Elijah. I looked him up and down. He noticed that easily.

"Now, Elijah didn't tell me that you'd grown an attitude while you were gone." Marcellus said. I cocked my head to the side with a smirk.

"I've had to make some changes in my life on my own." I responded and he nodded.

"I see." He said. "Now, I know you're not here just to flirt with me so tell me, why are you here?"

"I'm not going to beat around the bush. Step down from the throne and give it to Klaus. It's rightfully his." I said in an angry tone. Marcellus laughed with amusement. I didn't back down.

"He built this town yes, but he left it." Marcellus argued. "I happily took over."

"Why did you even want to be king?"

"For the same reason Klaus wants to be king. It makes you have a certain feeling. You have power over people and things. It's like human's blood. You almost fight for it."

"Niklaus is fighting for the throne isn't he? I feel like if I wanted to own something so much, I would do everything in my power to get it." I said with a confused look.

"He is fighting but we have a special bond that steps in the way of our feuding." Marcellus said. This made me feel stupid. I came here to help Klaus fight Marcellus when he wasn't even fighting for it himself.

"If you have a special bond, wouldn't Niklaus let you rule with him?" I asked. Marcellus shook his head. Some of the vampire minions had cleared the room, knowing this wasn't their place. Some stayed under the protection of their beloved Marcellus.

"I know the way Niklaus is going to work. If he gets throne, he's going to rule me. There is no us if he is king. Even his own family will be ruled by him. All he cares about is the feeling and power it gives him." Marcellus said his voice dark. This put a pain in my chest. Why was I even trying to fight for something that won't even matter to me?

"It's hard to say this but I strongly believe you. I have watched Niklaus through his worst times and his family is just dirt that he walks over."

"I have seen Klaus at his worst too. He took me under as a son. He unleashed his brother Kol and did horrible things in front of me." He said, dropping his head. I blinked and looked away from him. Marcellus had it worse than I ever did. Yes I watched him kill many of Rebekah's lovers but I had never seen him un-dagger a sibling. Kol was the other version of Klaus.

"I'm sorry for wrecking your party. I did not have all this other information about Niklaus." I said in a soft voice. Marcellus lifted his head and looked at me. I looked at him. "Good bye Marcellus."

"I will defienently see you again, Clarice." He said, turned around and walked through his crowd of vampires. I turned around and left through the doors. I climbed back in my car and sat there. I was fighting for nothing. Why was I even here?

I started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. I took the long way back to the house and when I entered, Elijah greeted me at the door. He didn't look angry, or worried. He looked emotionless. He was leaning against the wall that made the entrance to the living room.

"Where were you?" he asked simply walking towards me. I sighed and shrugged off my jacket. I dropped it onto the table that sat in the middle of the foyer.

"I went to speak with Marcellus." I answered easily. Elijah eyed me.

"I feel like we should've made rules for you. You were here to help calm down my brother, not fight for him."

"That's the thing. Niklaus isn't fighting for the throne. He is letting that father-son bond get in the way. I am not fighting for anything." I said in an angry tone. Elijah looked at me with no emotion once again.

"If you were trying to bout against your own child, would you not let that get in front of you?"

"If I were fighting for it, I would fight for it. This shows that Niklaus must not want it that bad. If he does get into power, your family will be nothing to him. It'll be over for you guys. He will own you. He will walk all over your pale-skinned bodies." I said and Elijah now frowned. His eyes knew that I was right but he didn't want to believe me. I scrubbed my hand across my face.

"I'm sorry." I said in a heartfelt voice. Elijah shook his head.

"No, you're right. I should be sorry for having you come here and getting involved." Elijah said, turned around and walked away. I stood in the foyer, confused on how I should be feeling. I'd probably hurt Elijah. I wasn't supposed to hurt the people I loved. I was supposed to love them but it was getting hard. Niklaus wasn't making this easy. Speaking of which, where the hell was he?

"Klaus!" I barked piercingly throughout the house. I walked more into the foyer and whirled around. "Klaus!"

"What is it, love? Miss me already?" he asked standing at the top of the stairs. Annoyed, I glared my eyes at him.

"I had a little…chat today with the darling Marcellus. He was a very talkative man. I'm glad he is actually fighting for the throne." I said in a smart tone. He flashed down the stairs and was in front of me.

"What?" he asked in a dark voice. I tipped up my chin. I had more power than Marcellus at this moment.

"You're letting your father-son bond get in the way of your fight for the throne. Marcellus is winning this battle because you clearly don't want it as bad as him." I said. I was suddenly pressed against the wall behind me, a hand gripping tightly onto my neck. I kept my strong face.

"I want to be king so much more than he wants to. I am playing him quite nicely because no one has noticed my game." Klaus growled. I tried to swallow but the air got caught in my throat. I reached my hands up and placed them over his hands. I pulled down but his grip got tighter.

"Let. Go. Of. Me." I wheezed out. He stared at me for moments but then dropped me to the floor, coughing for air. I looked up at him.

"I do not need you to do the dirty work for me." Niklaus said and walked away without looking back. I was left alone in the foyer. Klaus had never laid hands on me so I was surprised. Elijah didn't stop it either. It's like the world didn't stop it just kept going with ease.

I climbed back up to my feet when I saw the frightened eyes of a girl I didn't recognize. This must be Hailey, the woman carrying Klaus's baby. She had wide eyes and her mouth was open. I accustomed my shirt and dusted off my pants.

"What are you looking at?" I asked in an exasperated tone and strode off.

Somehow Marcellus got my phone number, stalker, and called me later that night. I was confused on why he was calling me but made sure Klaus wasn't nearby.

"Marcellus, this isn't a good time." I said in a low whisper.

"It'll never be a good time with Klaus around." Marcellus said. "And I'd rather you call me Marcel."

"Okay, fine, Marcel, what do you want?"

"I want to see you again." He answered simply which caught me off guard. I shook my head.

"You want to see me? Why?" I asked.

"You've got potential and determination that you don't find easily these days." Marcel answered. I couldn't help but laugh.

"If this is a way to get to Klaus, it isn't going to work." I joked and he chuckled. He sighed.

"Meet me at Russo's in 15." He said and I hesitated.

"Fine." I said and hung up.

I slid the phone into my back pocket and turned around to leave my bedroom. I made sure I wasn't going to get stopped by Klaus. If he knew I was seeing Marcel, he'd kill me or him and I didn't really want that on my conscience."

I went downstairs and slipped out the front door. I got in my car and quickly backed out of the driveway once again.

It didn't take me that long to find Russo's. There was a big sign that said Russo's and it was the most popular bar from the looks of it. People were constantly coming in and out of it, drunk and sober. I parked a block away and quickly made my way in. When I entered, I could barely see over the tops of people's heads.

"Clarice!" a voice called. I looked to my left to see Marcel sitting at a table by himself. He'd already gotten two drinks and was working on his third. I sat down across from him.

"How long have you been here?" I asked spinning the empty bottles. He took a drink from his bourbon.

"Not very long. I'm not a light drinker." He said and I nodded.

"I can tell."

"I'm sure you're still wondering why you're here."

"Sort of, yes." I answered shrugging. I took of my jacket and put it on the back of the chair. I leaned back and folded my hands in front of me.

"You're interesting. I wanted to get to know you better. I know you are a girl of many secrets." He said and I laughed.

"Aren't we all full of secrets? I have some that you wouldn't care about anyways." I said looking away from him. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to tell you either."

"Didn't think so." He said and I bobbed my eyebrows.

"Damn, what does it take to get some service around here?" I asked looking around. He chuckled which he seemed to do a lot of.

Out of nowhere, a blonde waitress set down a glass of bourbon in front of me. I didn't ask questions, I just downed it.

"How do you the Mikelson's?" Marcel asked. I turned to him.

"I was dying. Elijah had a soft spot and took me in. To this day, I still don't understand why but he fed me his blood and I was a vampire. Elijah insisted they "keep" me so I could learn about the perks of being a vampire. I started to travel with them and I ended up becoming close with them." I answered. Marcel seemed to listen to every single syllable. I swallowed. I remembered the days where I felt invulnerable because I was like a Mikelson. I wasn't invincible but under the protection of them, I practically was. I still wish I'd never stepped in the problem between Niklaus and Rebekah. I wouldn't have confessed my love to Elijah and ran away. Things could've been different. I wouldn't have Niklaus trying to kill me every waking moments of my life. That's what is seemed like as long as I was sleeping under the same roof.

AN: I know that this chapter was all over the place but I kind of want to break through that begging seal of a story. I am glad that I am getting reviews and I would LOVE so many more. One of the main reasons I don't finish stories is because I run out of ideas. So, reviews with ideas are very much appreciated.

XOXO- Laura


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own The Originals.

Chapter Three: No Time for Flirting

"Did I spark something?" Marcel asked after continues moments passed of silence between us. I blinked my eyes and shook my head.

"No, I always do that." I said with a reassuring smile.

"We don't have to talk about them." Marcel said. "Them."

He made it sound like they were horrible people. They were all just…lost but that's what they were used to. They were used to fighting off everyone and they didn't become close to people for obvious reasons which I still don't know to this day.

"No, it's okay." I said. "I haven't been around them in 200 years."

"I haven't seen Klaus for a long time either. He's only really been here a few months."

"I left them after I did something I'd been afraid of because I wasn't sure what would happen. I didn't want things to change." I said shrugging. I ran my finger around the rim of my glass.

"Change is nice…sometimes." Marcel said and I laughed slightly. I shook my head. I looked up at him.

"Change with the Mikelson's is like inventing a new language." I said and Marcel chuckled.

"I was a big change for the Mikelson's and it had its ups and downs." Marcel explained shrugging. "I wanted to be a vampire. Klaus said he'd turn me when I was ready. Rebekah and I defienently had a thing for each other but Klaus said if I didn't stay away from her, he wouldn't turn me. I chose to be a vampire instead of love her."

I looked at him. This man was just as broken as everyone around me. I could see the pain in his eyes just talking about Rebekah. I could easily see Klaus making people do things they didn't want to do. He blackmailed people. I leaned forward and he looked at me now. I made sure to look at him with understanding.

"You can still love her, Marcel. If you really do love her still, you can love her again. Klaus doesn't have that kind of power over you anymore." I said and reached out my hands. "He doesn't have that power as long as I am by your side."

Marcel hesitated but took my hands. He looked me in the eyes, his brown eyes smooth and almost, creamy.

"Thank you." He said. I smiled at him and he smiled at me.

I walked in the doors of the house, making sure to close them quietly. I set my jacket on the table in the middle of the foyer and sighed. Marcel was different than anyone else I'd ever met. He was nice…in some ways, understanding and extremely good looking. He was fit for a king and it seemed like nothing was really going wrong under his power.

"I was wondering when you were going to come home." Klaus said. He was standing in the entrance of the living room, a glass in his hand. I looked at him but then looked away. I wasn't up to talking to him right now after our encounter earlier.

I walked past him and into the living room. I'd only gotten one drink and I needed another. I grabbed a glass and poured myself a drink. I took a big drink but left a small amount in the bottom. Klaus turned around and walked into the living room. He was acting like nothing had happened at all.

"You were with Marcel. I can almost smell his cologne on you." Niklaus said in a disgusted tone. I shrugged my shoulders and looked away from him with guilty eyes. "I told you not to help-

"I am not helping you!" I shouted now. I had snapped. Klaus didn't get it. "It's called being a nice person. He is way nicer than you ever have been to me in my entire lifetime. He knows how to run a kingdom and doesn't push people away from him like you always did."

Klaus didn't respond. He just stared at me with a look in his eyes that almost made me feel sorry. I looked away, slammed down my glass and walked out of the living room. Once again, I'd walked out on him but this time…I could care less how he felt. He was self-centered. If he really loved me, he would show me but he was too wrapped up in being king.

I went upstairs, my stomach churning and chest hurting. The only person I felt like I could talk to right now was Elijah but he probably wasn't up to talking to me. I was such an idiot with men. The only person that I could actually talk to was Marcel but it was like Romeo and Juliet. Somehow in the end of it, both of us would end up dead.

I went to my room and kicked off my shoes. I took a deep breath and changed my clothes. I climbed into the cold, soft sheets but couldn't close my eyes. Sleep seemed impossible at the moment. I stared into the darkness in front of me. My breath and heart beating were the only things that filled the air; otherwise, it was complete and utter silence. I felt like I could cry but I could break. It was too early.

Rebekah finished putting on the last touches of make-up. She stepped back with a bright smile.

"You look darling, Clarice." Rebekah said to me.

"Really?" I asked turning around to look into the mirror. I gasped at myself. I looked so much different than I did without make-up. My eyes stood out and my lips looked soft and lustful. I turned around to look back at Rebekah. She was closing the lid of the lipstick she'd put on me. She set it down on her dresser and saw me looking at her.

"Now don't thank me." she said. "It was a kind gesture."

"This should be thanked for." I said standing up. She shook her head and walked over to her closet. She pulled out a corset and then shoved it back into the closet. She had something on her mind.

"Rebekah, is there something on your mind?" I asked touching her shoulder. She shrugged off my hand and walked away from me.

"No, nothing is bothering me. I'm just…thoughtful." She said with a reassuring smile that I did not believe but I didn't have time to peel off her layers and really figure it out.

"Very well." I said and left her room without another word.

I wished Rebekah was here. She would be able to explain the madness that was Elijah and Klaus. She would make me feel better and be there for me. In a way, she was like my real, blood lined sister.

Speaking of blood, I didn't know how I'd made it this long without feeding. My stomach growled at that and my throat burned. I sat up in bed and pushed back my bangs. I went over to my suitcase and zipped it open. There were tons of blood bags on one side. I grabbed one, ripped open the top and drank the whole thing in one gulp. The burning stopped and the hunger subsided. I dropped the empty bag back into my suitcase and went back to my bed.

I woke up the next morning with the strange feeling of being watched. I don't know how I managed to fall asleep last night but I did. I opened my eyes slowly. I was on the side that was facing the empty side of the bed but no one was there. I rolled over onto my other side and looked in the doorway. Elijah was standing there, emotionless. I let out a startled scream and sat up in my bed. I pulled up to sheet and covered my chest. The only thing I had one was a see through t-shirt. When I realized it was him, I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth.

"Is there a reason why you're stalking me in my sleep?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"You're seeing Marcel." Elijah answered.

"Yeah, and?" I asked. Elijah looked at me oddly.

"Just remember when Niklaus does something…you were talking to me." he said and walked away. I climbed out of bed and followed him.

"So now you care." I said and Elijah stopped walking. He turned around with a confused look on his face. "Now that I am seeing Marcel, you care."

"Clarice, I don't know what you mean by "now caring" because I cared."

"You didn't care the way I did."

"Let's not get into this."

"You're right, Elijah. Let's not get into this because we all know how it is going to end. Me walking away with tears in my eyes and you feeling nothing." I said.

"You think I don't feel anything, Clarice. Is that what you think because really, I do care about you? I have cared about you more than I'd cared about anyone else in the world." He said and I stared at him, my chin shaking in both anger and sadness.

"That is where you and Klaus are the same. You don't show it. You don't prove that it's real and that it's-

My voice was cut off by his lips crashing into mine. I was taken by surprise and I didn't try to fight him off. I relaxed and he held the sides of my face in his hands. I put my hand on the back of his neck and kissed him deeper. He suddenly pulled away. My eyes opened from the loss of contact.

He stepped away from me and walked away from the scene, like nothing ever happened. My heart was broken yet my lips said different. They were buzzing with ecstasy. It was the feeling I'd longed for all my life yet…it didn't seem right. It seemed forced. It was like everything he'd said and done to me was a lie. If it was…I wouldn't know what to do…

I changed into my day clothes and went downstairs. I turned into the kitchen and sat down at the table. I remembered sitting here at dinner with the Mikelson's. They would still make dinner even if they didn't eat. Dinners could be filled with chatter or silence. I never tried to break the silence or make silence. I dropped my head in my hands and sighed. Elijah kissed me and I probably made Klaus hate me. The only person I wanted to be with right now was Marcel. He would make me feel better about myself. I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and dialed his number. He picked up almost immediately.

"I never thought you'd be the one to call me." he said. I didn't laugh at his comments.

"Are you, uh, busy?" I asked in a soft voice. He hesitated.

"No, I'm not. Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Not really. I kind of need a friend right now." I said my voice shaky. I tried to hold back the tears that were starting to form.

"I'll see you in ten minutes." Marcel said. He wasn't asking but demanding. He was my friend. I could go to him.

"Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said and I hung up. I got up from the chair and walked out of the kitchen. My jacket was still on the foyer table. I picked it up and slid it onto my arms. I walked outside into the fresh morning/noon air and walked over to my car. I climbed inside and started the engine.

I showed up in the front of Marcel's house. I walked to the front door and knocked. I felt like an idiot for knocking but I didn't have any other ideas. Marcel answered it himself. He saw me and opened the door. I walked in looking at the empty house. When I had last arrived, it was filled with vampires. I shoved my hands down into his pockets and turned around to face him. He walked over to me.

"So, what's up?" He asked. "You didn't sound so good over the phone."

"Well since I have no clue where Rebekah is, you're the only friend I got." I said and he chuckled. He pulled out two chairs and I sat down.

"Okay, shoot."

I looked down at my hands, intertwining my fingers with mine. I kept looking at them while I spoke.

"Did you ever kiss Rebekah?" I asked. I could see him nod. "What did it feel like?"

"It felt real. It felt like she loved me and I hoped it felt like I loved her. It was filled with care and passion. When it was over, we just stared at each other." Marcel answered. My heart throbbed.

"You never walked away and you never forced a kiss just to make her feel like you cared?" I asked the tears coming back into my eyes. Marcel shook his head slowly. I swallowed, letting out yet another shaky breath. I looked up at Marcel.

"If someone really loved you, they would stay with you." Marcel explained and a tear fell down my face. Elijah didn't love me. He forced himself to kiss me. It wasn't full of love, care, and passion or real. It felt fake.

Marcel saw the tear and watched it fall off of my face and onto my lap. I licked my lips.

"As a guy, why would you force a kiss onto a woman?" I asked. He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. He didn't want to answer this.

"I would do it, as you said before, to make them feel like I cared." Marcel answered and I let out a loud sob. I dropped my face into my hands. An arm wrapped around my shoulders and shushed me. He didn't ask any more questions. He just let me cry.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Mistakes

I'd fallen asleep in a bed Marcel had provided for me after my mental breakdown. I hadn't cried like that in years. Everything that had happened made me collapse right down in front of the strongest man I knew. I didn't have any dreams or think about anything because my brain was way too tired to even think about bad things which was a huge relief considering I never got a piece of balanced sleep.

I woke up, my brain feeling cleared and my body feeling happy. I looked around. The blinds were drawn and the sheets were still neat. I had no idea what time it was or why I was even here. It all came rushing back. I was at Marcel's. It had to be sometime in the afternoon because I'd come over here in the morning.

I scrambled out of the bed and flattened my hair. I opened the door to my room and stopped. Marcel had his hand out, going to open the door. The sight of me up made him furrow his brow.

"Sorry, I didn't know if you were awake." He said. He dropped his hand and stepped back.

"That's okay." I said nervously and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Thank you."

He gave me a toothy grin. He gave me a bed and was more than welcome.

"You're certainly welcome, Clarice." He said and I laughed. He frowned; afraid he'd done something wrong. "What?"

"I didn't think I could fall for someone so quick but you…" I said and he eyed me. He didn't look angry or freaked out but…blissful. I didn't need Elijah…I needed Marcel. His lips crashed into mine. This kiss was filled with more passion then Elijah ever even looked at me with. I was stiff for a moment but then relaxed. I melted into his arms, feeling my legs buckle underneath me. His arms supported my back. Then he pulled his lips away and just stared into my eyes. He didn't walk away. He stayed with me.

Klaus passed the living room in anger and worry. She hadn't been back in hours. He watched her leave from outside the house and she hadn't come back. He'd started to worry. She wasn't immortal like he was so she could die easily. He should have done something with her.

Klaus had never seen his brother act in such a way to make her sad. Elijah was usually the ones trying to make people feel better but if this was his way of making her feel better, it was horrible. All he'd done was made her leave the house with tears in her eyes.

He heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He was going to ruin his brother if what he thought was true. Elijah had only kissed her to make her feel better.

Elijah turned into the living room. Seeing Klaus's face, he stopped in the archway. He furrowed his brow like he didn't have a clue what he might be mad about.

"How could you do that to her? She may not seem vulnerable but she very much is." Klaus said in angry tone. Elijah unfurrowed his brow and sighed. He looked down at the ground and then back up at him.

"I had to make her believe that I cared because I needed her to be strong." Elijah explained by Klaus shook his head.

"She caught your mistake easily. That's probably why she'd been gone for hours." Klaus said and Elijah frowned.

"Do you have any idea of where she might be?" he asked. Klaus wanted to smirk but held it back.

"My best bet is she's with Marcel." Klaus answered and this made Elijah stiffen. This was not what he intended Clarice to do. Klaus didn't approve of the idea but seeing a plan of Elijah's fail was a gift from God himself. Elijah's medicine was shoved down his throat.

"Clarice did tell me that you weren't fighting for the throne." Elijah said trying to shoot back at him.

"Yes, she and I have been over that. It ended with me pressing her against the wall by her neck." Klaus said casually.

"If that is your way of trying to gain her affection, I can see that not working." Elijah said and Klaus shook his head.

"I gave up on her a long time ago, brother."

Elijah chuckled and shook his head. He looked right into his brother's eyes.

"No you didn't or you wouldn't be so worried about her now. You were pacing and you only do that when you're worried and the only thing that could possibly worry about most at the moment is where Clarice is." Elijah pointed out and Klaus shot him a death glare because, yes, he was right. Klaus never gave up on the girl he was in love with.

I awoke with the most amazing feeling I'd ever felt in her life. My body was warm and something was wrapped around my body. There were arms holding me while I slept. The warmth was from the body holding onto me. I rolled over on to my back and saw a smiling Marcel. His eyes were sparkling.

"Hi." He whispered and I giggled sheepishly. I ran a finger across her chest.

"Hi." I said back. He kissed the side of my head and I smiled at the feeling of his lips on me. This was better than anything else I'd ever done. I wanted it always to be like this and maybe it could be. I sighed and looked away from him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concerned. I gave him another warm smile.

"I'm perfect, Marcellus." I said and he frowned playfully.

"I told you to call me, Marcel." He said and his hands gripped my sides, making me laugh out loud. I tried to get away from him as the tickling became more and more aggressive. My insides hurt from the laughing.

A few moments later, we were laying in silence, just staring at each other. My finger traced his cheekbones and he closed his eyes under my touch.

"What am I going to say to them? I am sleeping with your enemy, let's go have a drink?" I asked and Marcel chuckled. His hand brushed a strand away from my face.

"You don't have to go back you know. You could live here with me and this could be your everyday life." He offered and I giggled this time.

"Tempting." I said. "Amazing sex and a house full of vampires."

"So it was good huh?" he asked raising yet another playful eyebrow.

"It wasn't just good but amazing." I said and kissed him. I pulled away and dropped down onto the pillow underneath me. I played with a string on the sheet covering my body. I wanted to stay with him but I wasn't sure. I know I should've been sure. We had sex. That's how you know if you love that person. I loved him yes but I wasn't sure I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life.

Many more hours past and she still hadn't arrived. Elijah had gone back upstairs probably going to talk with Hailey like he always did. Klaus sat down in front of a crackling fire. He had a drink in his hand and planned to get drunk if Clarice did not show up soon. He needed to talk with her. He wanted to talk with her but it seemed almost impossible to talk to her without hurting her or fighting. She was so stubborn and so argumentative. She never liked any of the choices Klaus made and he didn't want to change them. He thought maybe it wasn't meant to be but he still couldn't shake that feeling that she had his heart. The only other person he'd ever loved was Caroline but he had soon "gotten over" her when he left Mystic Falls to be with his beloved family in New Orleans. If Elijah never would've called Clarice, none of this would've ever happened. He wouldn't be contemplating his love for her and she wouldn't be with Marcel ever second of the day. She caused too much trouble and the drunk he got; the less he started to care if she ever came home.

I stepped outside and Marcel stood at the door. He was shirtless. I'd made a decision to go back to the house and speak with the brothers. I was leaving him but I said I would be back. I didn't promise anything because I wasn't even sure if I would make it back alive. I wasn't even sure I was going to do this ever again. I loved him but something once again didn't feel right with this man. It's like my heart belonged to someone else but I didn't know who.

I climbed in my car, Marcel not closing the door, and started the engine. When I pulled out and spun around, I looked in my review mirror and sighed. The door still wasn't closed. I could hurt him or make him the happiest man alive. I felt like I was trapped between the Mikelson's and Marcel. I had to choose one of the other. It should've been obvious but something kept drawing me back to the brothers who seemed to care less about me. That cared more about Hailey than me. I had to give her that she was pregnant though but if Elijah called me here, he would've cared somehow. Klaus also had to care in some twisted way.

I was driving down the road when suddenly, something appeared in front of my car and I slammed on the breaks.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I shouted climbing out of the side of my car. The person was keeping their brave stance and I had the oddest feeling that this wasn't a human but a…

The eyes glowed bronze and their teeth grew to their largest size. They snarled and I stumbled back. I wanted to start my car again when I was injected with a needle that sent me into a pained sleep. Vervain.

Everything in my body felt weak and sleepy. I could barely move my own fingers. I was strapped to a chair, a faint light casting over me. I hadn't been harmed, I felt like I would know. I moved my head slightly and someone was watching me closely.

"Hey, she's waking up." Someone shouted. It echoed through the hollow room we must've been in.

The woman that was standing in front of my car walked out of the shadows. She looked nothing like a werewolf but she defienently was. She cocked her head to the side.

"Clarice Mikelson." She said and I narrowed my eyes.

"That is NOT my last name. " I growled and she smirked.

"I know but you have been spending lots of time with them." She pointed out. I winced at the pain in my shoulder as I shifted in my seat.

"I'm an old family friend." I said and she sighed.

"Whatever you are, you're still dealing with him and Marcel, might I add." She said. "I don't like it."

"Who are you anyways? Some fan-girl of the Mikelson's?" I joked and she bent down to my level. She looked into my eyes.

"I am Francesca Guerrera." She said and my eyes widened at the last name.

"You're supposed to be…" I said.

"Extinct?" she cut me off. "I know but here I am and here you are strapped to a chair in front of me."

"I wished I could come up with a fake story thing but I am lost for words. So, I am just going to just put it out there." I said. "You're a bitch."

This set her off into rage mode. Her eyes turned bronze and her teeth came out and before I knew it, she'd bitten into my shoulder. I let out a piercing cry, not being able to get away. She back up and wiped the blood of her mouth.

"I am the most powerful werewolf in the Quarter and I will not hesitate to kill you even if you're body guards stalk my every waking moment."

"They will kill you before you can even," I took a breath from the pain, "say your full name."

She laughed at that. Her amusement was patronizing. She was a real bitch and it was probably because Klaus pissed her off somehow. She was an extinct werewolf breed which meant she really was powerful. In this parallel universe, I knew that she was dangerous. She'd bitten me and in a few hours, I'd spiral and then eventually die.

"You must choose you words wisely, Clarice. I can kill you before the werewolf poison settle in." she said. "See you in your darkest hour."

She walked off back into the darkness, my body already started to become weaker.

AN: I have basketball and school and so it's hard for me to keep up on the chapters but I am always trying to type! Keep the reviews coming. I love them!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: I Might Be Crazy

"A whole day, Elijah!" Klaus shouted loudly throughout the house. "She has not been back to a day."

"Brother, I can assure you that she is okay." Elijah said trying to calm down his crazy brother.

"She is a normal vampire. She is reckless and at some moments, very stupid."

"She is smart in situations where she has herself trapped. If it comes to it, we will get her back." Elijah explained.

"She is vulnerable. Her heart is broken and she is probably in a state of depression that releases her from fully using her small brain."

"You cannot blame for this. She left on her own when she could've easily stayed within our range but she did not and she is paying this price."

"You blame her for this? You made her do this entirely. I didn't do it but you did." Klaus argued. "You brought her here!"

"I brought her here to help you! She failed to do so." Elijah growled. Klaus had never seen his brother in such a state. Klaus frowned.

"Brother, if I let her help me, it would've changed things. She looked at you with passion and desire that she never even thought to look at me with. I knew I could never get that from her and if she helped me-well we all know how that goes."

Elijah was lost for words. He looked away from Klaus and down at the floors. His body tensed and Klaus knew he'd won this argument. He told Elijah something he'd never even know. He now knew he had lost.

"Goodbye, Niklaus." Elijah said and walked away from him. Klaus turned back around to face the wall of bookshelves. His body was fuming and he was hating himself and loving himself at the same time. Klaus ran a hand across his face and sighed, closing his eyes. She was probably with Marcel. He knew she was with Marcel; there wasn't a doubt about it. Maybe she loved him too.

I let out a strangled cough, dropping my head forward. My skin had already started to pale and my forehead was sweating from the pain in my head. There wasn't anyone else in the room but I couldn't get away anyways. I was too weak. I hadn't fed and I was slowly dying. The only person who could save my life was Klaus and he wasn't here and probably had no clue where I was.

I had made so many mistakes in my life. I never should've run away from the Mikelson's. I should've stayed and maybe my relationship with him would've turned out to be good. I wouldn't be here in this situation, fighting for my life. I felt like this was the moment to reflect on my life.

I remember my mother briefly but I never got to meet my father. He died when I was born and my mother never remarried. She didn't have any other children but she was the best mother she could've ever been. She took care of me like it was her own life she was caring for.

I remember the day she and I both died. Only one of us was lucky enough to come back alive. There was a bombing in our village. Pieces of debris, dust, rocks and other things were flying everywhere. There was another bombing and it struck right in front of our house, lighting it on fire. I managed to run out but the house collapsed before my mother could escape. I ran far away from the village. I was in the woods when suddenly, my body shut down from exhaustion. I knew I was going to die so I lay down and closed my eyes. I thought I had died. I was going to be with my mother and my father. When I woke up, I was confused and sad. I wasn't going to be with my parents. They had died and I had lived. I cried. I cried and wanted to curse whoever helped me. They should've let me die. Elijah was the first face I saw and he explained to me that he would forbid himself from ever leaving someone as alone as me on her own. He wanted to save me but I hated him for the first year of my transition into a vampire. I had killed many people because I also had Klaus in charge of me which probably wasn't the best decision Elijah had ever made. He let me drink every last drop of the human blood while Elijah had me drink, erase and repeat.

I let out another cough but my own blood splattered into the air and onto my pants. My strangled breath sounded like I was choking on smoke. I lifted my head to see someone walking towards me. It was Francesca and she was very pleased with her work.

"I intended to use you but you made a bad decision. It was killing you or used you. You made that choice on your own." She said in a fake sad voice. She stopped in front of me and examined my state.

"You only have an hour." She said. "Make it worthy while you can."

She walked off once more. I finally managed to sputter out words.

"I hope…you are happy…with yourself." I said and she stopped walking. She turned her head slightly, listening in on my hard words. "All…you have…done is made people…want to…kill you."

"I am fighting for what is rightfully mine. This isn't vampire territory but werewolf territory. Witches are smart not to mess with us." Francesca argued through gritted teeth.

"Witches…are afraid they might…kill the werewolf…species because they…are much stronger than you will ever be." I said and dropped my head coughing. Francesca growled and stepped forward.

"You're lucky you're dying slowly and painfully because I would rip your throat out right now!" she boomed, making me jump from my lack of brain usage.

"You're going to be dead by the time I close my eyes." I whispered. She decided not to argue anymore and she walked off. My eyes were fluttering and I needed help soon.

She wasn't with Marcel, she wasn't at the bar and no one had seen her. Klaus had no clue where she might be. He really was starting to get worried. He knew he loved her. He wanted to find her and tell her that even if she didn't love him back. He'd never felt so much compassion for someone in all of his lifetime. He wanted this woman to be his. She was his.

He couldn't think of anywhere else she might be until he thought of the person on the bottom of his list…

Francesca. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Francesca had taken Clarice on behalf of Klaus's cruelty. This made him more furious than when she was seeing Marcel. He growled under his breath and jumped back on the car he'd driven out to a spot in town. He knew where the Guerra's were stationed in the French Quarter so he wasn't going to waste time. What if she was bitten?

Klaus's hands gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turned white and his teeth were gritted so tightly, they could break under any more pressure. He was driving over the speed limit, people gawking as he swung by them.

When he made it to Francesca's house, he slammed his door and yelled her name from outside her doors. A window opened on the second floor and the curtain quickly closed. That was her. She thought she'd won this time but she'd merely lost. No one took anything of his. Nobody even dared. She was getting reckless.

"Get out here and show yourself!" he boomed. The front door of the house opened and he charged. He stomped his way up the porch. Francesca watched with eager, brave and very much afraid eyes. He stopped only a few inches away from her.

"Hello Klaus." She said in a snarky tone. He stepped forward and held her by the neck, stepping inside the household. He wasn't afraid of her puppies she had by her side.

"Where is Clarice?" he growled. The puppies had backed down. She had instructed them too.

"Probably dead by now." Francesca answered through a strangled voice. Klaus's grip became tighter and he slammed her against a wall.

"What did you do to her!?"

"She was being…difficult and I bit her." Francesca answered simply and Klaus lost it. He dropped Francesca, spun around and killed every single person in the room. The white marble floor was covered in thick red blood. Francesca watched with fear. She wasn't brave anymore. She feared for her life.

"Where is she?"

Francesca narrowed her eyes, knowing she had no other choice. She got up from the ground and rubbed her neck. She tilted up her chin and swallowed.

"She's downstairs in the basement." Francesca answered her voice angry and pained. Klaus shoved past her and flashed down the stairwell. He could smell Clarice's blood. It didn't make him angry but dreadful. He wanted to see what he wanted to see but then he knew what he was going to be.

Clarice was motionless. Her hands and feet were tied to a wooden chair and there was a large, blood stained bite mark on her shoulder. He listened for a heartbeat which was faint. He raced towards her and lifted up her head. Her eyes were closed and she made no effort to give any more evidence that she was still alive. He bit his wrist and held it up to her mouth. It dripped onto her lips and slipped into her dry mouth. This put her into action. Her fangs sank into his wrist and she kept drinking and drinking until her eyes fluttered open.

Life flowed back to me by the taste of the blood. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see who was kneeling in front of me. It was the grey eyed, blonde haired hybrid that has never given a damn about my life but he was feeding my blood. He pulled away and untied my limbs. I fell out of the chair and onto my knees. Klaus lifted my up to look at him.

"Did Elijah put you up to this?" I asked rubbing my head and looking away. Klaus chuckled.

"No, love. I am here all on my own." Klaus answered and I blinked my eyes. My vision was slightly blurry and my body was buzzing from the injection of life.

"Francesca. I was driving back from Marcel's and she was in front of my car…" I said trailing off. He ran his fingers across my face.

"Shh, it's okay now." He whispered and I looked at him. I was wrong. He did care about but I wasn't sure how I felt about him. At the moment, I was in love with Marcel and hating Elijah.

"Thank you." I said my voice shaky. He smiled warmly and then helped me to my feat. I put one arm around his shoulders as my limbs still shook from the lack of movement and circulation in the past seven hours. I coughed. My body was healing and it was working quickly. We made it to the top of the stairs and that's when I saw the blood on the floor and a Francesca wiping it up on her own. I tensed and Klaus assured me he'd taken care of it. We walked through the foyer. She never even looked at us. We made it outside and the sun burned my skin. I let out a shriek of pain and fell backwards. Klaus flashed us into the shade and he glared at Francesca who was smirking happily.

"Son of a bitch." I growled to myself. She tossed my daylight ring onto the porch. It stopped in front of our feet and Klaus reached it up. I allowed him to slide it on my finger and we advanced towards his car.

He laid me in the passenger seat. I was already started to become stronger and more aware of my senses. I sat up straighter in the seats and turned to look out at the world. I knew Klaus was sneaking glances at me.

"Why'd you save me?" I asked later on in the drive. He didn't answer for a moment. Maybe he was asking himself that question too. I didn't pressure him or look at him. I waited in silence.

"Francesca has no business stealing what is mine." Klaus answered and that's when I looked at him with a furrowed brow.

"Who said I was ever yours, Klaus?" I asked. He sighed and ran a hand down his face. He stared straight at the road.

"You are a…part of me. Therefore, you are mine." He answered. This took me by surprised and I relaxed my face and body. I licked my lips. His gaze still locked on the road but he was looking at me with his voice.

"I am a part of you, huh?" I asked and he chose not to answer. I turned back around and looked back at the world. I was a part of someone besides myself.

AN: I hope you guys liked this chapter. You guys have wanted a whole Klarice ship for a while and I hoped this was enough until later. Please, review I love it when you do!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Throwing Bottles and Full Throttles

We got home in a matter of minutes and I was the first one out of the car. I never thought I'd see the day where I would actually we happy to walking up to my house. I was trapped for so long; I was getting homesick…and sick.

I opened the doors and stepped inside. The smell of cologne, alcohol and faintly blood filled the air making me close my eyes and smile. Klaus shut the door behind me and walked into the living room. He instantly downed the last of a bottle of bourbon. I walked in behind him and grabbed my own bottle. I cracked the glass and had a drink. I handed it to Klaus and he took a drink.

"You should've killed her." I said in a small voice. Klaus swallowed and gripped the bottle.

"I know." He answered. I looked at him and took the bourbon. I had a drink and cringed at the hardness of the liquor.

"Why didn't you?" I asked tilting my head to the side. My body was still recovering itself from the relentless moments of horrible pain. Klaus looked away and laid his hand on the top of the couch he was standing next to. His expression was tough to read and I studied him hard.

"I wanted to save you before I did anything. The men just happened to be in the way." Klaus answered. I laughed setting down the bottle. I licked my lips.

"If it were me, I would've killed Francesca the moment I saw her face." I said and Klaus smirked.

"I like your thinking but you were the most important thing to me." He answered looking at me now and I swallowed hard. Somewhere, in my twisted brain, this felt right but I wanted to be with Marcel. Marcel was who I loved right now and maybe I would love Klaus later but I belonged to Marcel.

"Thank you." I said again and he smiled.

"You're very much welcome." He said and breezed past me and I was left alone in the living room. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and dialed Marcel's number.

"Clarice!" was his first word. "Klaus came to look for you. I got so worried."

"I know. How about I tell you when I get to your place?" I asked and he chuckled softly.

"That would be great." He said and I hung up. I slipped back out the doors; even though I could easily get kidnapped again but I was going to the man I had slept with and felt perfect with.

I knocked on his door with enthusiasm and eagerness. He opened it and I thrust myself into his arms. Even though he was confused at first and did hold on very tightly, he clutched his arms around my body. He made me feel safe and invulnerable. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

When we broke away, he held my face in his hands. I rested my hand on his wrist looking into his eyes.

"Where were you?" he asked. I looked away and looked back up.

"When I left you're place last night, Francesca, she kidnapped me. She bit me and-

"She did what!?"

"Now, it's all taken care of. Klaus killed her henchman but spared her life which doesn't meant she needs to be dead." I explained rapidly. His eyes weren't filled with affection or passion but rage. He let go of my face and pulled me close again. His body was warm and nestled my face into his chest. I closed my eyes and sighed. He smelled like vanilla and pine needles. I almost wanted to fall asleep in his arms from the lack of sleep.

My face was suddenly turned and a hard kiss was planted a top my lips. His hand held my back to push me closer to him and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I craned my neck to deepen the kiss and it defienently worked. I pulled away and laughed.

"You don't understand how long I've wanted that…and how long I've wanted sleep." I said and he chuckled. He loosened his grip on me and I relaxed once more.

"If you want sleep, I will take you to your bed and you can sleep." He said running his fingers down the side of my face. I smiled and he picked me up wedding style. I laughed loudly. He flashed up the stairs and into his bedroom. It had a large canopy bed that looked fit for a king. He lied me down and I snuggled into the fluffy pillow. He removed the shoes from my feet and put a blanket over me which made me even more tired. I closed my eyes and I'd already drifted away.

Klaus sat in the middle of the bar, drinking away his sorrows. He thought saving Clarice would feel more empowering but she'd gone straight to Marcel's. He should've seen that one coming. She loved Marcel. She didn't love Klaus. He slammed down his empty glass and the bartender poured him more bourbon. He took another drink.

The barstool next to him squeaked and he looked over. Elijah had sat down next to him and had a bruised expression on his face. Klaus turned to look at him.

"If it is something uncouth, don't say anything." Elijah said and a glass was set down in front of him. Elijah took a drink. Klaus had never seen his brother so…unstable. Klaus took a drink and just watched him without saying a word.

"All I wanted to do was make her feel happy." Elijah said. "I now understand that showing her affection was not the smartest idea."

"What else could've you done in those seconds?" Klaus asked and Elijah eyed him oddly.

"Now you're taking my side?" Elijah asked and Klaus shrugged turning back around. Klaus looked down into his glass and spun the straw in between his fingers.

"I don't take sides but I listen and I try to understand." Klaus answered. Elijah took another drink. The bar was half-empty so it was conveniently quiet.

"When have you ever tried to understand or listen, brother? You've always been stubborn and only heard what you've wanted to hear." Elijah said and Klaus frowned.

"I thought I was supposed to be the one not saying anything rude while you are only questioned my actions." Klaus argued. "I have found a motivation to change my ways, even if I can't get what I am wanting."

"I know what you want but you need to have patience. She is eager to be with the person she feels is perfect." Elijah explained.

"Patience has always been my worst enemy." Klaus said and Elijah chuckled.

"Brother, we are at our weakest moments. This isn't how we act." He said and Klaus shook his head.

"Weakest moments, are we at now? I feel like we are giving up. I've given up on New Orleans. You've given up on her." Klaus said. Elijah didn't respond to that. He just drank the last drops of his drink, threw money on the table and left Klaus alone. That's how it's always been.

I woke up to the sound of shouting. Something was thrown and shattered to the ground. I quickly scrambled out of bed and ran out the doors of Marcel's room. He was standing by himself; there were broken chairs around him and smashed glass. My eyes widened but I didn't say a word. He dropped his head in his hands and I used my vampire hearing to listen.

"It's all her fault." Marcel said. I furrowed my brow. Was he talking about me? I swallowed nervously and continued to listen. "She killed half of my men and I need to kill her."

He wasn't talking about me. The only person I could think of was Francesca but why would she kill Marcel's men? Was it my fault?

"Marcel." I finally said. My voice rang through the room and his head snapped towards me. His veins were showing from his anger and I stumbled back. I backed into the wall behind me and didn't move. He flashed up the stairs and was in front of me.

"While you were asleep, Francesca came and killed my best men." Marcel said his voice shaky and deep. I was shaking with fear now.

"I'm so sorry, Marcel." I whispered and reached out my hand. He stepped away from me. I dropped my hand and took in a breath. He had lost it.

"She killed my men because Klaus killed her's." Marcel explained and I gritted my teeth. She was a dumb bitch.

"We'll kill her, Marcel, I promise." I said and he turned away from me.

"I will kill her…and Klaus." Marcel said and I put my hand on his shoulder.

"You are not going to kill Klaus." I growled and he spun around. He suddenly flashed me against the wall by my neck and I managed to shove him off. "What is wrong with you!?"

"You love him, Clarice!" Marcel shouted. "You've always loved him. I was just a distraction."

"That is not true! I have never loved Klaus. I have loved you!" I shouted, tears burning my eyes. "I slept with you! I have kissed you! I have never ever felt that with Klaus."

"Then why do you always worry about him?"

"He is in need of being saved and I am trying to help him. Helping him will help you! You're being blindsided by the things you want to believe." I said. A tear fell down my face and I let out a breath. I looked away from him, my body burning with fury.

"Clarice." Marcel said in a soft voice. I looked back up at him. It was like he was in a trance. His eyes stopped with the veins and his body relaxed. The anger was gone and I felt sadness. He had fallen down in his dark hole but climbed his way out. Francesca had pushed him down there. I reached out my hand and he let me touch his face. It was hot. I gave him a weak smile and he smiled back at me. He was better now.

"Even after everything…Francesca is coming out of this…dead." I said and he nodded with me. Francesca was not going to be easy to kill. She probably knew that we wanted to kill her. I couldn't do it alone and I knew someone who'd be happy to help me kill her. I knew tons of people that would be happy to kill her. I wasn't alone on this. I was ready to fight for my people. I was ready to fight for my family. She wasn't coming out of this alive. Her blood will be painted on the French Quarter. People will know that we killed her because she was going to look like she'd gone through a paper sheered. The Guerrera species will end tonight.


End file.
